From a small seed a mighty trunk may grow
- Aeschylus
Or, from two cups of coffee a great idea takes flight!
Teach It Forward was borne out of a little idea that Poppy had when she had stepped back from mainstream school teaching and leadership to embark on a new chapter in tutoring. Keen to use her exceptional teaching skills in a new context, she was highly aware that many children who would benefit from tutoring would not be able to access it, largely due to financial barriers. So, what to do?
This is where the concept of Teach It Forward comes in. Why not apply the concept of 'paying it forward' to tutoring? Those who are able to access tutoring financially helping those who can't, with no extra cost to them!
And that's where the idea sat for a time -- a name, an idea and a core value: tutoring with a difference, that makes a difference.
During this time, the COVID-19 pandemic hit and changed the landscape of education forever. In the thick of it, Kelly was a practising class teacher and subject leader of History and Geography. Even with her expertise and commitment, Kelly felt that she was unable to prosper in her role in the way she wanted due to the overnight changes in education and the ever mounting pressure on teachers. The learning gaps widened more rapidly than before, even with teachers providing unwavering dedication to their children.
As the pandemic restrictions began to loosen and the world felt like it was coming back to normality, Kelly could see that the effects of the pandemic would only increase the challenges faced in the schooling system. The sheer loss of learning time and the inequality of educational provision during that period meant that class teachers were even less likely to be able to meet the needs of all their children. Kelly knows first-hand how hard teachers strive to do this, but with the increasing needs of the children, schools have ever-limited budgets and are unable to afford the full compliment of staff required. The government has even recognised this, and by introducing the National Tutoring Programme they have realised that schools will not be able to meet the learning needs of children through whole-class teaching alone. This will be the case for many years to come in education.
Kelly felt increasingly powerless against the changing tides in teaching: it was time to make a change.
Poppy had shared her idea with Kelly right back when it had first formed. Little did she know that that idea had taken hold of Kelly and stuck with her!
Wanting some advice, Kelly met Poppy in a café - baby in tow - to discuss what she could do next. Kelly was ready for a new challenge and wanted her exceptional teaching skills to be put to a new purpose. She told Poppy that she always came back to the Teach It Forward idea and wished that she could do something like that.
A 'light bulb' moment ensued: "We can do something like that!" Poppy still loved her idea and desperately wanted to make something of it, but her experience in leadership had taught her that she likes to work in collaboration and here was the PERFECT partner!
We share the same genuine passion for education, a belief in its power to transform lives for the better and that high-quality teaching is what makes the difference. We both care immensely about our students and place establishing positive relationships at the forefront of our teaching.
Not only this, we believe in a new kind of business. A new way of working that isn't profit-driven but driven to give back. We are proud to be a female-owned company and are secure in our knowledge and expertise as teachers.
Poppy has been teaching in the education sector for over 10 years. She has been a Deputy Head and SENDCo with experience of working in both primary key stages. Poppy is currently specialising in teaching children with Dyslexia. She has a secure knowledge of the National Curriculum and how to adapt and personalise these standards to meet a
Poppy has been teaching in the education sector for over 10 years. She has been a Deputy Head and SENDCo with experience of working in both primary key stages. Poppy is currently specialising in teaching children with Dyslexia. She has a secure knowledge of the National Curriculum and how to adapt and personalise these standards to meet a child's personal learning journey. Poppy passionately believes in the positive difference education can make to a child's life and the positive influence an excellent teacher can have.
With over 8 years of teaching experience, Kelly has experience in teaching children in a range of ages and abilities. She has experience in preparing for Year 6 SATs and other primary assessments. With a secure knowledge of the National Curriculum and being a class teacher during COVID, Kelly understands the gaps and challenges that child
With over 8 years of teaching experience, Kelly has experience in teaching children in a range of ages and abilities. She has experience in preparing for Year 6 SATs and other primary assessments. With a secure knowledge of the National Curriculum and being a class teacher during COVID, Kelly understands the gaps and challenges that children face in education. She strongly believes that all children deserve the chance to succeed in learning which happens through positive relationships, adaptive learning and confidence building.